Past and Present
by j-mercuryuk
Summary: Squel to Lady Glorfindel. A year after the events of Lady G Eresetor and Glorfindel are preparing to marry, but a dark shadow is begining to creep over Imladris.
1. Chapter 1

**PLEASE READ THE A/N BEFORE YOU START COMMENTNG ON STUFF, BECAUSE (shock-horror) IT MAY ACTUALLY CONTAIN THE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTIONS!**

**A/N:** Hello, I'm back; a little later than I planned to be, but life gets in the way. DAMN YOU, LIFE! Thank you to all the reviewers for the last chapter of 'Lady Glorfindel'. This is the sequel to 'Lady Glorfindel' so Glorfindel is a woman, and I do release this is 'wrong' so STOP TELLING ME! It takes place one year after the events in 'Lady G'.

This fic will have two parts to each chapter: the first is in the present and will cover things from just before Erestor & Glorfindel's engagement through their marriage and through to, well, I'm not sure where it will end, and the second part will be a flash-back. These will be anything from fluffy moments to the fall of Gondolin.

**Chapter 1 – **Travelling and Reassurances.

* * *

"Hiya guys, missed me?"

-Buffy, 'When She Was Bad', Season 2.

* * *

A black-haired elf maiden and her two companions rode into the forest of Imladris. Her hair was loose, and she wore a simple dress for riding. She was pretty: not unusually so, but still pretty. Her position and habits suggested that she was not very used to riding yet.

The companion to her left, an elf with light brown hair, leaned towards her. "Morlome?" The she-elf looked towards her friend. "We should arrive in Imladris by this evening."

Morlome smiled and responded, "Thank you, Gilnaur."

Morlome shifted in her saddle, trying to achieve a more comfortable position. She had been looking forward to this trip for some time now. It was the first time she had travelled away from Mithlond for centuries, and it was also her first time travelling by horse. However, after weeks of travelling, her excitement had slowly faded, to be replaced only with a rather sore rear; not a very fair trade, in her opinion.

During her travels, she had irritated Gilnaur with constant questions about Imladris and Lady Glorfindel, trying to find any new information that she had missed before. Eventually, Gilnaur had threatened to gag her if she was not quiet.

Gilnaur, her elven companion, was here in two capacities; firstly as a guide and protector, and secondly as a family friend. As soon as he had heard that Erestor was to be engaged, he had insisted on joining her even if he had to follow her there on his own. She doubted that Erestor would mind - in fact, she suspected that Erestor would have been very offended if she had left without him. He had made her journey safe and less tedious, despite his jokes and friendly jibes.

Not that her other companion was unpleasant, she thought as she stole a glance at him, just … odd. He looked human, with his round ears, long grey hair and even longer grey beard, but his behaviour was anything but human. His arrival from the west with his six companions was enough to prove that. He was definitely an odd character, she mused. After all, not many beings always carried a staff and wore a pointed hat. She wasn't sure **what** he was, but, in Mithlond, they had called him Mithrandir.

As she rode though the forest, she was sure that she could hear whispers and rustling in the trees. This didn't seem to disturb Gilnaur; on the contrary, he was smiling and shaking his head. "The Imladris patrols," he explained, seeing her confusion. He then looked at Mithrandir and added, "I believe our strange companion has aroused their curiosity."

Mithrandir huffed and mumbled something about the foolishness of young elves. Gilnaur turned back to Morlome just as the hidden elves started to clap and sing a song about a strange old man in a pointed blue hat; she even believed that she received a cameo in the song. "They wouldn't be making any noise if they believed we were a threat."

"Why are they singing about us?" she questioned. It really did seem like a strange thing to do.

He smiled at her and shook his head. "Who knows what goes on in the head of an Imladris elf? Many strange things, no doubt."

She wrinkled her nose and was about to chide him for patronizing her when a voice interrupted her, from above and ahead: "Not as strange as the thoughts running through the head of a Mithlond elf."

They looked to the voice and saw, sitting on a branch, an elf who looked for all Arda as if he was on an elflings' picnic. He wore what she presumed to be Imladris colours.

"Good day to you sir," began Gilnaur, taking on the role as spokesman. "I am Gilnaur, my maiden companion is Morlome, and my strange companion is Mithrandir." She smiled and nodded, while he only grumbled at his description.

"Welcome, friends, to Imladris. I shall be your guide to the House." Leaping down from the branch, the elf walked over to where Morlome sat uncomfortably on her horse. "Am I to presume that you are Lord Erestor's sister?"

She nodded as she replied, "Yes, I would be."

-£-£-£-£-£-£-

Eregion- Second Age 1695. (two years before it's destruction)

Morlome all but skipped up the stairs to her brother's house. She was 15 years old. Erestor lived with his lover, Culhith, near the city centre and Celebrimbor's house and workshop. Erestor had advanced from a simple scholar to an assistant to one of Celebrimbor's advisors, though she could never remember the advisor's name. However, Morlome gathered from her parents' comments that Culhith had quite a lot to do with this.

Culhith, on the other hand, was an architect, and Erestor had said that he had helped draw up some of the plans for the city. He kept most of the original plans in his house; Erestor had shown her some on one occasion.

Halting in front of the door, she knocked and, when Erestor opened the door, she hugged him tightly and kissed his cheek. When she let go of him, she stepped into the house.

"Wait here for a moment," and Erestor slid out of the room.

She looked round the room and noticed two other elves, standing over a table which was surrounded by scrolls. They were looking at what appeared to be building plans, or at least they looked like the papers that Erestor had once shown her.

One of the elves was Culhith. He briefly looked up at her, only to frown at her before looking back down again. The other elf, however, smiled and greeted her before looking back down at the tables.

Erestor came back into the room and bowed to the new elf. "I must go now Lord Elrond, Culhith."

Morlome gaped at the elf Lord, who looked up and mentioned a meeting the next day. When he looked at Morlome, there was an amused sparkle at her reaction. Culhith took the opportunity to glare at her again. She felt Erestor steer her out of the house as she continued to stare at the Lord. As soon as the door closed, she started bombarding Erestor with questions.

"Was that really Lord Elrond?"

"If that was what I called him."

"Why is he here?"

"King Gil-Galad sent him."

Morlome's eyes widened. "The High King Gil-Galad?"

Erestor chuckled and shook his head. "Do you know of another King Gil-Galad with an Elrond in his service?"

Morlome pulled a face. "You talked to Gilnaur yesterday, I can tell, you always sound like him just after you've spoken with him." However she soon returned to her questioning. "It looked like they were looking at plans of the city."

"It probably did."

She wrinkled her nose at his answer and continued. "Why did the King send Elrond here?"

Erestor frowned. "Why all the questions?"

She assumed that he meant he either could not or would not answer her question. It didn't really matter anyway; she had ears, she could hear the rumour, and she could guess that it was to do with the forces of Sauron. Not even Celebrimbor could stop people gossiping and worrying about that.

"Everyone is worried about Sauron," she began, looking at her feet as she walked. "Mother and father talk about it when they think I can't hear them. They keep telling me that there is nothing to worry about," her voice betrayed her worry and fear. Her parents' reassurances were so hollow, aimed at ending the conversation as quickly as possible. Nobody wanted to talk to her about it, to tell her the truth, but Erestor would. Erestor would make her fell better and he wouldn't lie to her or bush her off.

Erestor stopped and pulled her into a hug. "No matter what happens, I'll look after you. I'll make sure you're safe. I'll do all that is in my power to make sure nothing will happen to you. I promise."

Morlome hugged him back. It wasn't what she was hoping to hear, that nothing would happen and that she was worrying over nothing, but it was the next best thing; protection.

**End of Chapter 1**

**A/N:** So everybody, what did you think? Please tell me. Not much happened, but it is the first chapter. Requests and constructive criticism are both welcome, but no flames: that's just wasting my time and yours. If you want me to respond to the review, just log in or put your email addy.

**If you have any requests for events you'd like to see in the past or present, tell me and I'll see what I can do. I've already written parts for some requests from the reviews of Lady G.**


	2. Helkagon and the Grey Havens

**A/N:** Just a quick message about updating. I've got the first 5 chapters (first draft) of the two fanfics I'm working solo on at the moment, so for the moment I'm hoping to update once a week. Unfortunately my brother was very busy last week so it took a lot longer.

Also, things may be going slow at the moment (and may do for a couple more chapters) but they will pick up.

**Chapter 2**- Helkagon and the Grey Havens

"'I knew this 'I'm the only one, I'm the only one,' thing was an attention getter.'

'Just say hello Xander.'"

-Xander and Buffy, What's my Line Part 2, Season 2

Glorfindel watched a group of twelve novices sparring amongst themselves. At the end of the group stood Daegon, watching them carefully. The four most mature novices, who would be joining the ranks of the Imladris guards in two months, were being watched over by Glorfindel. Daegon watched over the 'junior' novices.

Glorfindel was always disappointed to note that Malaglar, daughter to the only female sergeant, was also the only female among the four. Well, at least there were more women in the 'junior' group. She continued to watch their movements become more and more sluggish as they grew tired.

She was considering telling them to stop for the day when she saw Helkagon, her fourth sergeant, making his way over to her. Helkagon stood beside her and saluted.

"Captain Glorfindel."

"Sergeant Helkagon?"

"I have a short report to make."

"One moment." She turned to her charges and dismissed them. Relieved, they sheathed their weapons and walked to the armoury, too tired to indulge in their usual frivolities.

She turned back to Helkagon. "Please continue."

"Three of my patrols have returned. Cirorod has informed me that he sent out all of his patrols this morning. My final party is currently accompanying Lord Erestor's sister here. They should arrive in time for dinner." At the mention of Erestor's sister, her stomach did a nervous flutter. "As Lord Erestor predicted, she travels with a friend named Gilnaur." She wasn't sure why, but that name seemed familiar. "However, they are also accompanied by an unexpected stranger."

Glorfindel arched an eyebrow. "Really? Another friend of Erestor's?"

"No, I highly doubt it." Helkagon took a deep breath, as if pushing aside doubts over what he was about to say; "He claims to come from the Undying Lands, and I believe he wishes to speak with Lord Elrond. He is named Mithrandir."

Now that was surprising news; it looked like she was not so special any more. "Do you believe him?"

"It is hard to believe, although it would not be the first time," he flashed her a quick look. "I would have to meet him before I could be sure, but that will only be when he arrives and you can judge for yourself, Captain."

"Thank you for the report; I would like a full report on the patrols by tomorrow evening."

"Yes, Captain." He saluted and left her.

Glorfindel watch him head back towards the barracks. Helkagon was an honest and wise sergeant, and although he was a lot older than her (she had never managed to find out how much older) he trusted her judgement over any greater experience he may have. However, he had proven last year that he was not afraid to question a command, if he believed it presented an unnecessary risk or danger: he had been the only elf to question her on the wisdom of her joining and commanding Erestor's rescue party. Admittedly, she would have done the same if their positions had been reversed; it was a reckless thing for her to do.

Glorfindel made her way to the main house, thoughts whirling round in her head. Morlome was arriving in only an hour or two. Erestor had already decided to have a private dinner with all of them tonight, rather than eating in the hall. Glorfindel wanted to make a good impression; Erestor's sister was his only living relative East of the sea, so she wanted them to get along well. Perhaps a dress would be better for tonight, or maybe a tunic. Which would be more natural? Not that a dress was **un**natural for her...

She shook her head; since when did she worry about fashion? Besides, it was silly to worry about it now, since she had other matters to attend to first. She would go to Elrond; he would need to be told about this Mithrandir, and might know if she should wear a dress tonight.

She shook her head again, trying to shake away that trail of thought. Well, at least she could take a route past the library, allowing her to tell Erestor that his sister would arrive in a matter of hours.

As she approached the library, she saw Galenorn run out, a book in her arms. "Hello Galenorn."

Hearing her name, Galenorn looked up and saw Glorfindel. She grinned up at her. "Hello Glorfindel. Erestor just helped me find a book."

"Really? That was nice of him, what is the book about?"

Galenorn continued to beam up at her as she replied, "I do not know, but just because it does not have pictures, does not mean it is boring," and she continued down the corridor, leaving Glorfindel shaking her head, in confusion, for the third time in as many minutes. Well, at least she didn't seem scared of Erestor any more, but then perhaps that was preferable to inexplicable comments like this.

She stepped into the doorway of the library, greeting a passing librarian. She spotted Erestor near a table, surrounded by several books. For a moment, Glorfindel remained where she was. Erestor looked deep in thought - or perhaps lost in memories - and so she stepped back into the corridor. She could always talk to him after she had told Elrond about this stranger.

As she wandered down the hallways to Elrond's offices, she mused on the surprising claim of their guest-to-be, and her own return to Middle Earth.

-£-£-£-£-£

Mithlond (The 'Grey Havens') – Second Age, 1810

Glorfindel leaned on the rail of the ship, letting the sea breeze wash over her and play with her hair. Soon she would step into Mithlond; she could hear the Numenorians, with whom she had travelled the last leg of the journey, preparing to dock. She would probably be the first elf to make this journey since the Noldor had left in the First Age, and most likely the only elf to make this journey after their 'death'.

She had been in the Halls of Waiting for what must have been centuries. She had never felt the passage of time in the halls and time had very little value in Valinor, so she had no way of telling how many years had passed since her death.

Thinking back, she realised how strange the Halls of Waiting had been. She neither loved nor hated her time there. She hadn't felt loneliness, grief, love, happiness, boredom or any other emotion, she had merely existed. She had not even been able to react to other spirits in the Halls. Then, when Mandos decided it was time, she was given back her physical body and sent into Valinor.

Valinor; a place of peace and beauty. The troubles of Middle Earth did not exist there, under the power and grace of the Valar. In Este's garden, she had felt a kind of peace she had never felt before. She had even been reunited with her mother and Ecthelion in that garden.

But eventually she had felt the urge to return to Middle Earth, a calling to some task that death had cut short. However, Ecthelion had felt no such urge, so she had returned to Middle Earth alone to try to discover what her task was and complete it. Then she could return to the peace of Valinor.

A shout disturbed her musings, and she looked up to see that they were ready to disembark. As she stepped onto the dock, a messenger boy ran up to her. "Are you Lady Glorfindel?"

"That is me."

"Lord Cirdan wishes to speak with you, my Lady."

"Of course, just one moment." She turned to the captain, who had just stepped off the ship behind her.

"It looks like they got our message," he said in his rough voice.

"I would like to thank you for your assistance, captain. Your help was invaluable to me and I apologize again for any inconvenience I may have caused you."

"You were no inconvenience, but I'm sure my men will think twice before challenging another she-elf. I hope you find what you're looking for."

"As do I, captain."

(&) (&) (&)

"Lord Cirdan," Glorfindel bowed when she entered the room.

Cirdan looked away from the window and looked her up and down, lazily summing her up. He had the aura of sea-longing about him, but his proximity to the sea seemed to have dulled this longing to give him a day-dreamy quality.

"Please take a seat," he waved his hand in the general direction of some chairs and she took a seat in the closest of these.

"It is unusual," he began, as if recalling a dream, "to see an elf arrive on a Numenorian ship, especially when a message says that this elf is not from Lindon." Silence rushed back into the room every time Cirdan paused for a moment. "If you are not elven and you do not come from Lindon, then where do you come from?"

"From Valinor and, before that, Gondolin."

"So you sailed west, but now return. I find this hard to believe, why do I find this hard to believe?" For the first time during their conversation, he sounded mildly interested.

"I did not sail west; I was killed, slaying a Balrog. I returned on the urgings of my heart."

"A Balrog?" Cirdan asked and, when Glorfindel confirmed this, he continued, "And why did your heart urge you to return?"

Glorfindel paused, not really sure what to say. In the end, she decided that simple honestly would most probably be best.

"I do not know."

There was another silent pause, which he seemed to spend summing her up. To be completely honest, she wasn't sure, even much later if he believed her story at that point.

"Do you have any proof that you are Lady Glorfindel?"

She took out a ring with the crest of her house on it, which hung around her neck on a golden chain.

Cirdan examined the ring as Glorfindel pondered how someone could take as little interest in this conversation as he. After all, it wasn't every day that an elf turned up claiming to be from Valinor and to have died in Gondolin fighting a Balrog. 'But then,' she thought, 'he doesn't seem the type to be easily impressed.'

He handed her ring back to her and spoke. "Then you speak the truth. Where will you go now?

"I am not sure; perhaps I will just see where fate takes me."

There was silence again, in which Cirdan turned back to his window. The silence continued. Glorfindel shifted in her seat, unwilling to break what seemed more than a lack of noise. She was beginning to wonder if this signalled the end of the interview, when his voice broke through the silence.

"To the east is a new haven named Imladris. Elrond Peredhil is lord there, herald of the High king Gil-Galad and grandson of King Turgon. If you wish to travel there, I shall send two men with you."

Glorfindel rose and thanked him, but before she could turn and leave, he faced her and spoke again. "Ah, Lady Glorfindel," for the first time he actually looked and sounded rather excited, "I do not suppose you know anything about Valinorian ships?"

Quite surprised at the strange question she answered, "No, nothing."

Cirdan sighed. "Never mind, worth a try, just hoping that perhaps..," the rest of the comment died on his lips as he went back to his window and day-dream state. Glorfindel left the room.

**End of Chapter 2**


	3. Never Judging Books By Their Covers

**Important A/N: Ok, the basic impression I've got from the reviews I've received (here and else where), is that the present to past structure of the chapter is confusing people. So I've left the flashback out of this one. I'd like to know if you'd like it to stay like this or if you want me to do the flashbacks in a less confusing way (e.g. do flashbacks every other chapter, or just have some of the flashbacks as a mini series). I'll go with what the majority want, so please tell me in a review.**

**Chapter 3 - Never Judging Books By Their Covers.**

* * *

"Looks like Mr Caution man, but the noise he makes is funny."

-Xander, 'Surprise', Season 2

* * *

Galenorn crept into the library and looked round: the library looked so big. Her mother had told her that, if Galenorn found a book in the library, she would read it to her once work was finished for the day. Her mother had also said that, if she needed any help, she should not to be afraid to ask any of the librarians.

She ran down the row in front of her: the sooner she found a book, the sooner her mother could read to her. Happy with her child's logic she looked round at the surrounding books. No, none of these would do, they were all boring books. She wanted to find fun stories, with lots of pictures and-

Her line of thought quickly halted as she froze. There, down the next aisle of books was the scariest elf in Imladris, the one that always made her hide behind her mother's legs: Erestor.

She quickly dashed behind the shelves and then she carefully crawled back to peek round the shelf. His back was toward her and he was putting books back onto their shelves. She didn't think he had seen her, but one could never be too careful (that's what her father liked to say), and Elladan and Elrohir had said that he had eyes in the back of his head. Now that she was looking at the back of his head, she couldn't see any eyes, but maybe they were under his hair … but then surely he wouldn't be able to see anything. She decided to test this by placing all her hair (or as much as she could) in front of her eyes. No, he wouldn't be able to see anything out of _those_ eyes.

Releasing her hair, she scuttled quickly back round the corner as Erestor walked past. She tried to move to the stories, but knew Erestor would see her; she would have to hide. This soon developed into a game, her quest for a book forgotten. She was like her father, tracking an orc ... well, not an orc, they were too scary but a, a, erm, well, she'd decide later what she was tracking, but it was something horrible. The important bit was that she had to track it without it seeing her, or something really bad would happen.

As Galenorn tracked this vicious monster, she didn't notice the amused looks she received from passing librarians, or at least not until two she-elves began giggling at her. Silly elves, you had to be as quiet as possible when tracking very dangerous monsters, and now he'd surely know where they were.

"Whoever has been following me for the past 15 minutes can come out now." Galenorn froze again when she heard the voice. She was wondering if she should indeed step out, as Erestor turned round to look down the aisle. What she wanted to do was run, but then Erestor would shout at her if she did that.

"Well, I am waiting for you to come out. I have other things that I must see to today."

Galenorn creep round the corner, trying to be as small as possible. She kept her eyes on the floor as they began to fill with tears.

"Galenorn. Are you here with your mother?"

She kept her eyes to the ground as she shook her head.

"So why are you here?"

She whispered her answer under her breath.

"Pardon?"

Galenorn repeated herself a little louder.

"Galenorn, look at me."

Not really wanting to, she slowly lifted her head. He didn't look angry, but you could not always tell with adults.

"I am neither planning to eat you nor shout at you, so kindly look at me and speak clearly so I can understand you." He sounded a lot nicer this time, so she finally managed to speak loud enough for Erestor to hear her.

"Mother asked me to find a book for her to read to me."

"I see. Do you have a book in mind?"

She shook her head.

"Then follow me. I have noticed that you find no difficulty in doing that much."

Galenorn felt herself blush and her eyes go damp with embarrassment. She followed Erestor through the library. Well, at least he hadn't shouted at her and he didn't seem angry that she had been following him. Maybe everything would be fine.

Erestor came to a halt at a row of book of many different colours. Grinning, Galenorn began looking through them for pictures.

"You should not pick a book just because it has pictures," Erestor commented. Then he did something that almost made her burst out crying: he picked her up. She was very puzzled as he carried her along the row. She looked around with large eyes and a couple of passing elves grinned at the sight. She didn't know why, she didn't find this the least bit funny.

He stopped, pulled out a thin book and handed it to her. "I am sure you will enjoy this book much more than the other book you are holding."

She scrunched up her nose as she looked through the book and found no pictures. This book looked far more boring then her other one.

"Not all books without pictures are boring. You need to read the book to see if it is interesting, not just by looking at it. In that way, they are much like people."

Galenorn nodded; it seemed the easiest and simplest way to respond. Adults really did say some silly things sometimes; how could books be like people?

Erestor looked at Galenorn and he could tell that she wasn't convinced. In fact, he wasn't even sure if she had understood a word he had said. He placed her on the floor again.

"If you read the book again and still find it boring, I'll bring you a cake from the kitchens."

Galenorn's eyes immediately brightened, but it took her a moment to nod. He had the feeling that she had only really agreed because she didn't want to disagree. However, at least she didn't look like a frightened rabbit any more, and that could only be construed positively.

"Come, I will take you to the library entrance."

He began walking, a lot slower then he normally would have done. Why did elflings have to be so slow when they walked with him? They seemed to have no trouble going quickly when they misbehaved, and he could almost swear that they did it on purpose.

When they reached the aisle with the entrance at the end, Galenorn thanked Erestor and ran off. By the time Erestor called out to her, telling her not to run, she was already half-way down the row. Erestor watched her disappear round the door, where she would undoubtedly start running again.

He returned to his previous task of putting returned books in their correct places. While sorting though the books, one in particular caught his eye. His memory was cast back to when he had given this book to his sister.

**End of Chapter 3**

**Well there you go. As I said at the start, please review and tell me what you think, on the chapter and the structure. Thank you for reading.**


	4. Arriving and Staying

**A/N:** Hey. Sorry for the long update, my brother had some important work to do for university so he couldn't beta-read my chapters for a while. Then it took him ages to do it while I had to revise for exams (which I'm still in the middle of doing). :D ...oh great! Now the internet isn't working GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!

This chapter is longer than any of my others 'cause I've stuck 4 and 5 together, basically so I can start having fun with getting people into trouble (and into the deeper plot) in the next chapter.

_Flashbacks: I've now decided that not every chapter will have a flashback, and flashbacks will be in italics. I hope this makes things less confusing. Thank you to those who responded._

**Chapter 4:** Arriving and Staying

**"'She died?'**

**'Just a little.'"**

**-Kendra and Buffy, 'What's My Line, Part 2'.**

Erestor waited to greet his sister in the courtyard of Imladris. With him stood Elrond, who was waiting to greet their mysterious stranger and speak with him. Glorfindel would join them at dinner, after she had bathed and changed. Hopefully, it would also give her a chance to calm down a little, though Elrond doubted it.

The sound of horses was heard, and then the party came into view. He easily distinguished his sister from the rest of them and, as he expected, Gilnaur was riding right beside her. He walked towards her as she awkwardly slipped off her horse. Morlome turned to face him and a big smile crossed her face as she threw herself at him, wrapping her arms tightly around him.

"Erestor, I missed you so much!"

"It has indeed been far too long." After returning the embrace, he held her at arms'-length to look at her more clearly. "You look well."

"I _am_ well. Gilnaur is well too," she commented, drawing his attention to Gilnaur, who had come to stand beside them.

"I am glad to see you've come also."

Erestor reached out to grip Gilnaur's shoulder in greeting, but instead felt Gilnaur grasp his hand and pull him into a hug, thumping Erestor on the back. Gilnaur laughed hearty, "Erestor, you never change."

Erestor could imagine some of the looks their watchers were directing at them, but laughed back. "Neither do you."

Gilnaur released him and shook his head. "We should see you more often."

"Yes, we really should," piped up Morlome.

"Come, I'll show you to your rooms and then we have much to talk about."

(&)

Elrond took the stranger to his study, watching Mithrandir look round with mild interest.

"Please, take a seat," he invited.

Mithrandir ceased scanning the room and turned back to Elrond. "Oh no, I'd rather stand," he smiled, leaning on his staff slightly.

"As you wish. I have been told that you come from Valinor?"

"Then you have been informed correctly. At least those elves can do something besides rhyme," he added grumpily.

Elrond smiled. Despite his grumbling, he seemed friendly enough, but then Sauron had seemed friendly enough when he came to Celebrimbor, and nobody needed reminding how that had ended. "They are good at other things besides rhyming; some can even play the lute!"

He was rewarded with a chuckle from his guest.

"Why are you here, Mithrandir?" Elrond asked, deciding to go straight to the point.

Mithrandir smiled kindly at him for the first time since their meeting. "The eyes of Manwe see far. The ears of Varda hear the cries of Middle Earth. Ulmo learns of matters that not even Manwe has seen or heard. They know of the plight of Middle Earth and have sent myself and six others to aid her."

"The Valar sent you?" If true, this was a remarkable blessing. "What of these others you have mentioned?"

"They have travelled to other places. I shall meet with them again, but I see you still doubt. Perhaps this will help put you at rest. Cirdan believes that I will have more use for it than him." He lifted his hand, and on one finger was a gold ring with a glistening red ruby.

"Narya!" Elrond exclaimed. Whatever Cirdan's motives for giving this stranger one of the elven rings, Elrond knew that he would never give the ring to one whom he had _any_ doubt was a wise and loyal friend.

"You are welcome to say here for as long as you wish … Mithrandir," Elrond continued, his eyes still focused on Narya, fingering his own elven ring.

Mithrandir let his hand fall. "Thank you, but I plan to leave within the week. For now, I think I will retire to my room. It has been a long journey and I feel the need to rest my weary, old bones."

(&)

Blue or red? Blue or red? Blue or red? Glorfindel looked between the two dresses, still trying to decide which to wear. It was silly really, her acting this way, but then she had a right to be nervous sometimes. It was quite funny really; she could charge into the face of death and be as calm and fearless as any warrior on Middle Earth (a handy side-effect of dying in the process of killing a balrog), but tell her that she was going to meet her future sister-in-law and she was like a lamb in a pack of wargs.

Choosing the red dress, she put it on, passed a brush through her hair and examined the result in her mirror. Taking a deep breath, she muttered, "Time to meet the family."

(&)

Glorfindel arrived at Erestor's chambers and rested her hand on the door-handle. She was about to march in unannounced, as she was accustomed to now, when she thought better of it. She wouldn't want to barge in on a private family conversation, would she? She knocked and there was a moment of silence followed by noises of someone coming to the door, and then Erestor opened it.

Erestor raised an eyebrow and smiled. "You're knocking now?"

"You object?" she asked, stepping into the room.

"Not at all." He closed the door behind them and took her hand, giving it a light squeeze as a sign of encouragement. "Relax," he whispered, before leading her onto the veranda where they would be eating dinner that night. The table had already been laid and two elves were seated there. "Glorfindel, may I introduce my sister Morlome," he indicated to the she-elf. "Morlome, this is Glorfindel."

Morlome smiled shyly at her and Glorfindel finally relaxed; it seemed like she wasn't the only one who was nervous. Morlome had hair which was as dark as Erestor's, but her eyes were grey, rather than her brother's dark brown. She was also quite pretty. She didn't seem quite sure how to act around Glorfindel, so Glorfindel flashed her a large smile and spoke first. "It is a pleasure to finally meet you."

She was rewarded by Morlome's smile widening. "I have been looking forward to meeting you as well, my Lady," she added unsurely at the end.

Glorfindel suppressed a smile. "There is no need to call me by rank, and Glorfindel will suffice."

Morlome blushed slightly and nodded. Glorfindel decided that she would probably find many similarities between the siblings.

A deep chuckle came from the elf beside Morlome. "Be glad and enjoy the silence: in a few days, you will not be able to get a word in edgeways."

"Gilnaur!" she exclaimed, blushing deeply.

They all laughed, and Glorfindel turned her attention towards Gilnaur. Now that she could put a face to the name, she realised that she'd see him around Imladris a few times, albeit only a few. Unlike Morlome, he seemed relaxed and confident around her. She recalled that he often worked as a guide between cities, so undoubtedly he worked with Lords and Ladies often.

"And as you have just heard, that is Gilnaur. Now shall we begin?" This was met with enthusiasm.

"Finally, proper food!" Gilnaur exclaimed. "There is only so long a sanity-loving elf can endure only Lembas, stew and soup. So, when will you tell Elrond about your engagement?"

"Tomorrow morning, Elrond has invited us to break fast with him and his family. I think everyone would like to meet Morlome properly," Erestor replied.

"Have you met Elrond before Morlome?" Glorfindel took a stab at starting a conversation.

"Only briefly, but we were never introduced. He seemed very pleasant, though. I suppose he would have to be to found such a beautiful place, but then it was actually designed by Cul-" She quickly stopped and her eyes widened. Gilnaur shot her a look and she quickly turned her eyes back to her plate. An awkward silence filled the room. Glorfindel had gathered from Erestor that his sister and ex-lover had never been on the best of terms. No, she corrected herself, Erestor had told her only so much, but she had gathered that they had hated each other. Morlome's comment seemed to have confirmed this.

In order to distract everyone from the comment, she returned to questioning Morlome; "How was your journey?"

"Well, though I am very sore. I do not travel much at all, and certainly not far, nor on horse back. I was very excited about riding all the way here, but Gilnaur had to teach me how to ride very quickly, so I am not very good."

A sudden idea appeared in Glorfindel's head. "Would you like me to teach you?"

Morlome looked surprised for a second, and then a wide smile appeared on her face as her desire to learn to ride properly appeared to overcome her caution. "Really? Will you not be too busy?"

"I am sure that I can find some spare time for you, as long as Gilnaur does not mind me stealing his job."

Gilnaur waved it off, "Keep her."

Glorfindel beamed at them. Well, everything seemed to going well.

-£-£-£-£-£-

"'_**So, the Slayer, we thought you were a myth.'"**_

_** 'Well, you were myth-taken.'"**_

_**-Maggie Welsh and Buffy, 'A New Man', Season 4**_

**_Imladris- Second Age 1810 (Glorfindel's arrival)_**

_Glorfindel swung down from her horse, getting her first good look at what would come to be home. From the first in a long she saw a faint shadow of the beauty and peace in Valinor.. Imladris was beautiful beyond anything she had yet seen in Middle Earth. She hesitantly admitted that it could rival Gondolin, in its own way._

_"Welcome, my lady, to the Last Homely House," said the Imladris scout who had accompanied them through the forest._

_"It is beautiful, and peaceful," she said, moving to get a better view._

_The solider beamed proudly. "Thank you my lady. We are currently having a celebrating Imladris' tenth year. That is why no-one is here to greet you … but I will accompany you to our Lord." The soldier added the last quickly, hoping she would not take offence._

_"Thank you..." she paused, waiting for a name to fill the space._

_"Daegon."_

_"Thank you Daegon, lead on."_

_She was led off, accompanied by her two Mithlond guides, to what must be the main building. As she pulled off her riding gloves, she schooled herself to act as a respectable elf of her rank, rather than a wanderer._

_The hall they entered radiated warmth and seemed to contain the entire population of the haven. On the way to the main table, they were stopped by an elf whom Glorfindel guessed had to be the head of Imladris' forces and defence. He and Daegon held a whispered conversation, allowing Glorfindel's eyes to scan the room. Most elves had stopped feasting and were now discussing intensely. It seemed that they had made an impression, but Glorfindel was unfazed. She had never really liked the subtle approach anyway._

_The two warrior elves concluded, and Daegon led the Mithlond elves away, leaving Glorfindel with this new elf. "My Lady, I am Captain Helkagon. I shall introduce you to our Lord." Turning, he marched up to the main table with Glorfindel in tow._

_The elves at the main table watched their approach. There were two elves in the centre, one of whom was bursting with a sense of power, majesty and authority. She identified him as Lord Elrond. By the time she had reached the main table she had the full and undivided attention of everyone in the room. The Captain bowed deeply and she followed suit._

_"Captain Helkagon, who is our guest?" asked the other elf, whom she had mentally labelled as an advisor or close friend._

_"My Lords, may I introduce you to Lady Glorfindel. She has travelled here from Mithlond."_

_The 'advisor' spoke again; "Welcome, Lady Glorfindel. I am Lord Elrond." She barely managed to control her surprise at this announcement, and Elrond indicated to the elf at his side, "This is the High King Gil-Galad." Her eyes widened. The High King? How could she have mistaken the High King for Lord Elrond? His royal bearing shone forth like the very sun._

_"I hope you will join us for the feast." A chair appeared at the table, fetched by a quick thinking servant._

_Glorfindel quickly regained her composure and answered, "It would be my pleasure, my lord." As she sat down, the remaining elves quickly went back to their feasting and gossiping._

_Her plate was filled while Gil-Galad addressed her. "You seemed surprised, my lady."_

_"I must admit, I never expected the High King to be present here."_

_"We are just as surprised to see you. We received no message of your arrival…" He turned to look at Elrond, "unless my friend here has been hiding things from me?"_

_Elrond smiled and shook his head, "No, not this time. No message arrived."_

_Glorfindel inclined her head in apology. "Then I must apologise: we assumed that Lord Cirdan had sent a message ahead of us."_

_Gil-Galad chuckled. "I am sure that no fault lies with you. Lord Cirdan can be slightly ... absent minded."_

_Glorfindel laughed, remembering her conversation with him. "So I saw."_

_It was Elrond who spoke to her next: "So what brings you to our home Lady Glorfindel?"_

"_I was advised to come her by Lord Cirdan."_

_An elf opposite her interrupted Elrond. "Whatever for? Imladris has no lady for you to serve under, so what use do we have for you." The words did not seem to be delivered with malice but they still held an underlying hostility._

_Elrond jumped in with an introduction; "This is Culhith, a good friend and my chief counsellor. He also helped design and build Imladris; we would not be here were it not for his skills, so please excuse his bluntness."_

_"It is excused." She turned back to Culhith, expression hardening slightly. Surely any fool could see from her attire that she was a warrior. Oh, why did she have the feeling that he would be anything **but **her friend? 'Well, at least it isn't a Balrog this time,' she thought as she explained herself to this elf that seemed to have taken a disliking to her. "I am a soldier, not a lady of the court, therefore an absence of a lady makes no difference to me."_

_Gil-Galad poured her some wine, nodding at her comment, "You have the strong aura of a warrior about you; I have no doubt that you are more accomplished with a sword than a needle. Perhaps you will humour me by showing me the depth of your talent during my stay."_

"_It would be my pleasure, your majesty," not that she had much choice. After serving under a king herself, she knew it was no light thing to deny such a request._

"_What rank do you hold?" Elrond questioned again._

"_I no longer hold a rank besides Lady." Glorfindel saw their confusion, but did not really want to mention that she had just arrived from Valinor. "I have not been needed in service for a long time now," she eventually added cautiously._

_A new voice joined the conversation. "I assume that is why you were sent here, because Lord Cirdan no longer needs you, so he sent you to someone who did." She turned to the new voice, one that she had no clue how well she would come to know. For the first time, she heard the voice and saw the face of Erestor._

_He didn't have the coldness of aura that he was to gain once Culhith left; she would have been hard-put to find a cheerful welcome there. It wasn't inviting but it was not cold. She could tell that he was the youngest of all at the table, but he seemed to have a sense of silent authority about him that over-shadowed Culhith. She realised that he had been watching her and coming to his own conclusions about her ever since she had walked into the room. He had not kept silent till now due to shyness, but rather that this was the first time that he had something to contribute to the conversation. He was also a great deal more polite than Culhith._

_She made eye contact with him while Elrond made the introduction._

_"This is Erestor, one of my most trusted advisors and a trained diplomat. The library would be in chaos without him."_

_Glorfindel nodded and smiled in greeting and replied, "I am afraid you are wrong on both counts."_

_"And what would those counts be?" Culhith jumped in on Erestor's defence._

_"My reason for leaving and that Mithlond was my home. I was merely passing through, and I took the opportunity to speak with Cirdan." Erestor nodded slightly to himself as if confirming a thought to himself._

_"Then why were you not needed in service?"_

"_My last … home was free of such needs as soldiers. I left my last home for personal reasons," she tried to end the conversation subtly, but no one seemed to take the hint - or perhaps they simply ignored it._

"_Sounds like a wonderful place," commented Elrond._

"_Aye it does, Elrond," Culhith smiled. "And where, my lady, may this place be? Where come you from, Lady Glorfindel?"_

_She knew that she should not be rising to the bait, but she was so eager to wipe that smile off his face. Besides, she couldn't lie in front of the High-King himself._

"_I came from Valinor and, afore that, Gondolin."_

_Well, that did indeed wipe the smile off his face._

_(&)_

_Glorfindel stared at Elrond's door, knowing that after her 'little' claim last night at the feast this would be inevitable, and yet she was still harbouring some nervousness. Standing here now made her realise that this meeting could decide the course her future on Middle Earth would take. After coming here and talking to Elrond, her intuition was that she would be serving him, as she had his grandfather. This was not to say that Imladris felt like home, but it was definitely better then wandering Middle Earth looking for a purpose. A lot better._

_She straightened her tunic and sword-belt, and knocked on the door. When she heard Elrond call for her to enter, she did so._

_Elrond was seated behind his desk, with Culhith and Erestor sitting either side of him. Elrond wore a friendly smile, which was a contrast to Culhith's grimness and Erestor's diplomatically neutral expression. At Elrond's request, she took a seat opposite him and waited for him to speak. "Lady Glorfindel, you claim to be the Lady Glorfindel of the House of Golden Flowers of Gondolin. The same Lady Glorfindel who died slaying a Balrog of Morgoth at the fall of Gondolin," Elrond stated._

"_Yes, I am." Her reply seemed rather dull and simple in comparison to Elrond's rather grand statement, but there really wasn't much else to say._

"_Do you have any proof?" was Culhith's immediate response._

_Elrond shot Culhith a look out of the corner of his eye, he really would have to speak to Culhith after this about being polite to **all** their guests._

_Glorfindel removed her ring and handed it to Elrond, who examined it. As Culhith looked over his shoulder, Glorfindel explained, "This ring is given to the head of my house; it is unique in design, and no copies exist."_

_After Elrond had finished looking over the ring, he passed it to Culhith, who almost immediately handed it on to Erestor. As the conversation continued, Erestor proceeded to closely examine the ring, something that amused Glorfindel slightly. She wondered if he even knew what he was looking for._

"_A fake?" Culhith put forward._

"_I doubt it," Erestor countered. "The design looks to be correct and it appears to be genuine, through to be sure you would have to speak to a jeweller. I have very little expertise in this area. However, I do not doubt your claim my lady. You do not appear to be lying, and I cannot see how taking the guise of Lady Glorfindel would aid you in any way. A deceiver would gain more by impersonating someone more ... believable. I have also spoken with your guides."_

_Erestor continued to examine the ring while Culhith glared at him over Elrond's head. At least she seemed to have one ally. However, Erestor placed the ring down on the table and continued. "I do, however, wonder how this ring remains in your possession after your death?"_

_All eyes turned back to her and Culhith's smug expression returned. It was really quite surprising how annoying that look was._

"_I do not pretend to know how the Valar think, or the many mysteries of life and death. When I became conscious of my surroundings in the Halls of Mandos, I was wearing what I had before my death, including the ring." Glorfindel bit back a smile, remembering for the first time one unfortunate elf who had stood in the Halls of Waiting in his night shirt._

_This seemed to satisfy all but Culhith, who fired another question at her: "So why have you returned to Middle Earth from the Blessed Realm?"_

_She didn't know why Culhith was so set against her, but she was getting tired of all these tedious questions, especially from someone who didn't have the courtesy to be polite._

"_I came here because I swore loyalty to King Turgon and his kin. As his grandson, this includes Lord Elrond. I do not take kindly to being accused of perjury and deception, but if you still have any doubts we can settle this in a duel," she stared at Culhith with hard eyes, until Elrond rushed in to answer for his friend._

"_I believe that will not be necessary; I have no more doubts over your claim and Culhith would hardly prove a challenge to someone of your skill."_

"_I agree. I am sure that Helkagon will be far more of a challenge." Gil-Galad stepped forward from the back of the room. She hastily stood and bowed to the king, "I suggest you find some post for her instead of wasting this opportunity. There will be time enough for that later, though; for now, I have some important business I need to discuss with Elrond."_

"_Thank you, my Lords," she said, her heart filled with hope. "I promise to be of as great a help to you as I am able."_

_Elrond smiled back. "I have little doubt that you will. Welcome again to Imladris. I hope that you will be here for many years to come."_

**End of Chapter 4.**

Hey guys, that was kinda a long chapter, but it means that I can start going into the deeper plot in the next chapter :D. Well, I always love to hear from reviews, especially as I get so few for this one :(, seeya next chapter.


	5. Engagement and Revealing Relationships

**A/N: **Hello, no I'm not dead, just stretched a little thin (not that I'm technically doing much, just little projects I've taken on, too many projects). This chapter is where we start getting into the deeper plot of things.

**Chapter 5.**

**_"Uh oh, this does not look good for our heroine."_**

**_-Angel, "Killed by Death", Season 2._**

Glorfindel stood on the balcony, watching the silver ring catch the sunlight as she moved her hand. She smiled to herself. It was a simple ring: it would, after all, be replaced in a year. It was a plain silver band which sat on her ring finger, but it was the most wonderful thing she had ever seen.

"I hope it is adequate," said Erestor, taking her hand, his own ring catching the light. "I promise that your wedding ring will not be so plain." Taking her hand, he kissed the ring.

"I do not care," she beamed up at him, eyes sparkling.

Erestor smiled back down at her, he brought his other hand up to cup the back of her head as he leaned in to kiss her. Glorfindel let her eyes drift shut as Erestor deepened the kiss.

When they broke apart, Erestor spoke again, "We should go: everyone will be waiting for us."

Glorfindel opened her eyes, and grinned at him. "Yes, we need to rescue your sister from the twins."

Erestor shook his head and made his way to the door. "Why did I let you talk me into allowing the twins to escort her to breakfast?"

(&)

Glorfindel and Erestor quietly entered Elrond's family room and saw everyone gathered round a circular table near the windows. Morlome seemed to have relaxed greatly and was talking happily with the twins while Elrond and Celebrian listened contentedly. Arwen sat beside Gilnaur, trying to appear as if she were part of the conversation. Glorfindel smiled to herself; lately Arwen had made a habit of trying to be as grown-up and lady-like as possible.

As they approached the table, Morlome was finishing her sentence; "…my father always said that it was from him I gained my talkative nature; from my mother I inherited my love of learning, my brother taught me to look at the world and Gilnaur subtly stopped me learning."

Everyone laughed at this, and Gilnaur shook his head in mock disappointment. "Your father said that? I never realised that he was such a cruel and heartless elf."

Erestor chose this moment to speak up. "Unfortunately, that does not make it any less true." Everyone turned to them as they sat down at the table.

Elrond smiled at them. "Good morning Erestor, Glorfindel. I feared you were going to leave us at the mercy of your sister."

Morlome's eyes widened and she quickly put forward an apology, "I am sorry, I did not realise I was talking too much again."

Elrond shook his head, "No need to apologise, Morlome. Your chatter is a welcome change from the bickering of my children. But come, this food will do no-one any good sitting on the table."

Celebrian rested her hand on Elrond's. "Not yet, I believe that Glorfindel and Erestor have something to say."

Glorfindel smiled to herself; trust Celebrian to know before they had uttered a word about it. Turning to Erestor she gave him a small nod to start. He took a deep breath and spoke, "Glorfindel and I are betrothed."

Everyone rushed to offer their congratulations. Glorfindel noted with some amusement how Arwen's eyes had become distant and her smile dreamy.

Elrond chuckled, "Well, at least this time you used a more conventional method of announcement."

Morlome looked round the table. "'This time'? What happened last time?"

When everyone looked to Glorfindel, she resigned herself to telling the tale.

-£-£-£-£-£-

_**Imladris- a week after Erestor's rescue**_

_During the week following Erestor's rescue, Glorfindel and Erestor had neither hidden nor declared their new relationship. The only indication to a watcher that anything had changed between the two was that now Glorfindel and Erestor spent every night together._

_Today was 'rest day': a day held once a year to celebrate the foundation of Imladris. On this day, many sporting events were held in which all could participate. Sparring was held in three different groups according to ability, due to the dangers involved. After all the sporting events, a large banquet was held in the gardens._

_It was the end of the meal, and cakes and pastries were now being passed around. Galenorn had already been told repeatedly by her mother not to take any more or she would make herself sick. The atmosphere was one of relaxation and peace. Erestor had just cleared his plate when he turned to speak to Elrond. "I must excuse myself now; I have not worked for the past week and I am sure that my desk will be hidden by all the duties that have piled up."_

"_Erestor, this is a rest day!" exclaimed Glorfindel._

"_Which will allow me to work uninterrupted."_

_Hiding a smile, she shook her head in exasperation. "Only you could think of work on a day like today. We still have music and dancing to come."_

"_As you know, I have little taste for dancing; my time would be put to better use in my office."_

_Changing tactics, she turned to Elrond. "Elrond, you must agree with me."_

_Elrond's eyes twinkled, a twinkle very familiar to his twin son's. "I could always order you to stay, or ask Glorfindel to prevent you from leaving." His eyes strayed briefly to Glorfindel's and she suddenly realised that Elrond had probably seen them sleeping in the same bed in the healing room._

"_You could," Erestor admitted, and then continued in a quieter voice, "but I must admit that I tire of the day's activities and would prefer to relax in the task of lightening my burden for tomorrow."_

_Elrond nodded in understanding: despite Elven healing, Erestor still had not completely recovered from his encounter with the orcs. "Go then, but do not retire late tonight, or I may decide that you are still not fit to return to your work."_

_Glorfindel sighed inwardly as he stood. She would have to let him go ... this time._

_Then Erestor's hand slipped beneath her chin, lifting it up till she was looking up at him. She felt his lips on hers, giving her a gentle kiss, causing her to faintly blush. This and the feeling of many eyes on her was enough to deepen her blush. When Erestor broke away, he whispered a promise to see her later and swept off._

_Looking around, she noticed Elrond's complete lack of surprise, confirming her earlier suspicions, and Celebrian's proud smile, as if she herself had single-handedly brought them together. Glorfindel had no doubt that she was already composing a letter to Mirindel about this. Under different circumstances, she would have burst out laughing at the gaping expressions of Arwen, Elladan and Elrohir. They looked like frogs, or fishes, she mused. Then Cirorod laughed, and she realised that the celebrations had halted as everyone sat and adopted similarly piscine expressions. The only ones who didn't seem to find this amazing were Mirear and Romendil. Galenorn took full advantage of the distraction to steal the desserts from the plates of onlookers._

_So Glorfindel sat there, under the full attention of Imladris, with the unsettling feeling of a mouse that had been cornered by a cat. A very large curious cat._

_-£-£-£-£-£-_

A knock at the door interrupted Glorfindel's story-telling. Elrond sighed and called for them to enter. A guard walked in, and bowed. "I am sorry my Lords and Ladies, but I was told that Captain Glorfindel was here. I have an important message from Sergeant Cirorod."

Glorfindel stood and took the message. After scanning it, she dismissed the guard. Handing the message to Elrond, she turned to the rest of the table. "I am afraid I will have to leave now."

"Is it serious?" Elladan asked.

"I doubt it; it probably has nothing to do with us, but it is best that I go see for myself." As she said this, Elrond passed the message to Erestor. "I am sorry again for having to leave so early in our meal, but I shall be back tonight." With that, she left the room.

(&)

Glorfindel halted her horse as she reached the River Loudwater. Judging by the position of the sun, she judged it was around midday, meaning she had made good time. She swung down from her horse and led it to the river where it could drink and rest for a moment.

Glorfindel breathed deeply of the summer air. It really was a glorious summer day, almost prefect. The sky was clear and the sun was beating down, uncomfortably hot were it not for the cool summer breeze. Still, she felt for the poor elves who would be training in this weather. Well, even if this turned out to be nothing, at least she would have had a pleasant ride.

Looking down the river bank, she saw someone running towards her. Judging by the speed, it must be an elf.

The elf came to a stop in front of her, slightly out of breath, and saluted. "Captain Glorfindel. Sergeant Cirorod sent me to escort you to the village, or what remains of it."

Glorfindel nodded. "We shall leave as soon as Alqua has had her fill."

"Alqua?" the soldier asked in surprise.

She shot the soldier an annoyed look as she suppressed the urge to blush in embarrassment. "If you really must know then I suggest you ask your sergeant."

When the soldier quickly looked away, she turned back to her mare. She mentally promised herself to **never,** **ever** let Cirorod name her horse again, no matter how much wine she had had to drink. She didn't think her horse had ever truly forgiven her for it; after all, it was a very silly name for a horse.

(&)

Glorfindel rode into the remains of the human village and wrinkled her nose at the faint smell of decay which was beginning to spread. It wasn't quite as bad as she had imagined. Cirorod spotted her, and met her as she swung down from her horse. She dismissed the soldier who had accompanied her, and turned to meet her youngest sergeant.

"Report, sergeant," she said curtly, wanting to get this over as quickly as possible.

"We have searched the village and found no survivors."

Glorfindel felt a shiver run down her spine. "They massacred the whole village?"

"I don't believe so. Only the buildings burnt down have corpses in or around them, mainly those to the north. As you travel south through the village, the houses start becoming more intact, and there are fewer corpses although, of course, there are still a few ruins and bodies. The tacks left also indicate that the attackers left with more people than they arrived with."

"How many more?"

"Oh, say about half a village more, but it is rather hard to tell."

Glorfindel frowned. "Slavers?" she offered, a hint a disgust in her voice.

"Slavers attacking a village? Slavers attacking a village, and then leaving everything of value behind? All that has been taken from the houses are items that might be needed for a journey: food, clothing, perhaps some other small items of personal value."

Glorfindel nodded slowly. "Which leaves the other, rather more unpleasant conclusion that they did not attack for money, but rather-"

Her sentence was abruptly halted when an arrow sped between them. It hit the wall of the house beside them and bounced back to land between their feet. For a second, both elves simply stared at the arrow as if it where some strange magical apparition.

**End of Chapter 5.**

There you go. The next chapter will have more action in it and _no flash-back_. This flash back was requested-ish at the end of LG by Cosmic Dancer.


	6. AMBUSH!

**A/N: **I am very orry this tok so ong, but my brother has been having computer problems so it took him a loooong time to bet read.

**Chapter 6:**

_**"I laugh in the face of danger. Then I hide till it goes away."**_

**_-Xander, 'The Witch', season one._**

Both Glorfindel and Cirorod looked at the arrow lying between them as if it were some magical apparition. Then her horse reared up and bolted into a nearby house, bringing Glorfindel back into action as if she had been kicked.

"EVERYONE TAKE COVER. NOW!" she shouted, diving into the nearest semi-intact house. She flattened herself against the wall beside the door and looked around. It was a very small house, just one room; she doubted it would fit more than six people comfortably, and the roof had a large gap in it.

Hearing the door - or what remained of it - slam shut, she snapped her gaze up, but saw only Cirorod taking cover on the other side of the entrance.

"Did you see who attacked us?" she asked. There was the noise of arrows hitting the door and one even found its way though a gap.

"I saw where the arrows came from, but not who or how many. The arrows look like they were made by men, not orcs or goblins."

Glorfindel nodded and edged towards the window closest to her. When she felt the time was right, she quickly glanced through the widow. They were indeed definitely men; they were creeping behind and between the houses, making their way towards them. Before she could count how many there were, she was forced to duck back behind the door to avoid being hit by an arrow.

"Men?" she heard Cirorod ask.

"Yes," she confirmed. "I am not sure how many: at least a dozen, probably more. They are moving towards us, so we'll need to act quickly." She made a small noise of annoyance and quietly added, "I had far better things planned for today."

Cirorod smiled across at her. "Would you like me to ask the 'nice' men if they could kindly come back and kill us on a more convenient day?"

She smiled humourlessly back at him, and was about to retort when she heard a soft noise coming from above them. She held a finger against her lips and pointed up to where the thatched roof was still intact. There was another soft thud and they shared a look; there was someone on the roof. Glorfindel gripped her sword and listened, wondering if this day could get any worse. Again there was another soft thud and she frowned. She held up a hand to stop Cirorod from drawing his sword. If she was right then there should be one more… there it was! There was no doubt about it now. These landings were far too light for any of the second people. As if on queue, an elf maid swung down through a hole and landed lightly on the floor.

"Sergeant, Captain," she nodded to each in turn, "I hope you have something to report."

The soldier nodded and made a quick report. "There are a group of men making their way through the village from the north. There are a score of them."

There was a sound of an arrow being released above them, followed by a cry.

"Nineteen," corrected Cirorod and indicated for the solider to continue.

"There are several archers, but no more than half their number. Many of them have wasted their arrows trying to pin us down, so now only about five remain behind while the others advance on us. I do not think the remaining archers can have many arrows left, so I instructed our party to return fire. We are using the minimal cover of the roof and trying to pick off any many as we can."

More arrows were released, and Glorfindel was sure she heard one find its mark. "How close are the men to our position?"

"We have a few minutes."

There was the sound of several more arrows being released from their elves and the cries of more men. Now their enemy were only firing the occasional arrow, aimed at the archers and not them.

Cirorod turned his attention to her. "I believe I heard four of their men fall, but that's still sixteen against six, and our archers will be useless at close range."

Glorfindel frowned. "The best we can do is to either stick together and hope the archers pick off as many off them as possible, or leave via the roof and circle behind them, picking them off one by one. Personally, I prefer the latter."

Cirorod nodded, but before he could add anything there was the sound, from above them, of an arrow hitting flesh and several curses. Looking though a crack in the door she saw several of the men breaking cover and dashing towards them. She sent a harsh command for the archers to pick up their bows and start shooting again. Turning to the elves in the house, she drew her sword and watched the others follow suit.

"It would seem that we will be making a stand after all," Cirorod commented, a grim smile on his face.

"As soon as you get the chance, get onto the roof, and quickly. We should be able to out-run and lose them, especially if we split up." Glorfindel stepped back from the door.

The door slammed open and a man rushed in, only to be quickly disposed of by Cirorod. However the next man managed to block the attack and push his way forward into the room. She notice one man 'charge' at the elf soldier, who nimbly side-stepped the man and stood ready to block the attack of her next assailant.

A stocky man stood in front of Glorfindel. He leered at her, looking her up and down. He obviously thought that this girl wouldn't be any problem at all. She smiled grimly back at him when he looked her in the face. What was that saying that Erestor loved? Ah yes: never judge a book by its cover. This man was about to find this out in a rather unpleasant way.

When he struck out, she deflected the blow with ease and, as he let his surprise get the better of him, she lunged forward. As he slipped to the floor, his face frozen stupidly in surprise, another man replaced him.

This man seemed less inclined to underestimate her and lashed out with a series of blows. As Glorfindel blocked his blows, it was becoming clear that she had a lot less room then she was comfortable with. A quick glance round the room told her that the others were faring similarly. An archer dropped down from the roof and made his way over to his sergeant.

Returning her full attention to her own attacker, she realised she was only a few steps from being cornered in. These men obviously weren't trained, but what they lacked in training they made up for in aggression. However, one small mistake could be fatal for them…

The man slashed down and she felt her back hit the wall. The man grinned and swung his sword to decapitate her. Glorfindel ducked and felt the air move as the sword passed over her. Grabbing hold of the man's arm she ducked under it and smashed him into the wall.

Looking for her comrades she saw that, for the brief moment, they were alone. Cirorod was in the process of helping the remnants of the scouting party onto the roof. Glorfindel rushed over as a barked command came from outside to storm the building and kill them.

Glorfindel stuck her sword into the dirt and cupped her hands. Bracing herself, she told Cirorod to go first. Sheathing his sword, he allowed Glorfindel to give him a leg up. As he pulled himself up, Glorfindel heard a noise from the entrance and rolled just in time to avoid a rather large, slightly blunt sword crushing through her skull.

Glorfindel came to her feet and felt a sting along her arm; apparently her new challenger hadn't completely missed. Standing up, she saw that the man in question was currently standing between her and her sword. "Go!" she commanded in Elvish, "I will join you shortly." Another two men filed into the room and started to make their way round to surround her. Cursing her luck, she reached for her knives. She was trapped and there didn't appear to be a way out.

**End of Chapter 6**

Well, I hope you enjoyed that. I'm not sure how good I am at fight scenes yet, so I'd like feedback about this please.


	7. A bad day

**A/N:** Ahhh, I'm so sorry this is taking so long. My brother still doesn't have the internet, so beta reading is getting near impossible. However, here's the next chapter. I hope there are still people reading this. Oh, a quick note, the Aragorn mentioned in here isn't the same one from LotR.

**Chapter 7**

_**"'Totally dead, way dead.'**_

_**'So not just a little dead then'"**_

_**-Cordelia and Xander, 'Welcome to the Hell-mouth' **_

Glorfindel stood facing her three opponents in the increasingly cramped house. She sighed; how was she going to get out of this one? Her thoughts were rudely cut off as the solider standing in front of her attacked. She blocked once, twice, thrice. A movement to her left caught her eye as the soldier from that direction lunged forward. She jumped back and hit the wall. The three men advanced on her, the first soldier smiling maliciously at her as he raised his sword to strike downwards. The other stood ready to block her escape.

The smile on the attacker's face suddenly became a look of shock. His sword fell to the ground and, as one, he and Glorfindel looked at his chest. Protruding from it was the tip of a blade, which soon disappeared as it was pulled out of the man. As he tumbled to the ground, three sets of eyes rested on the new man, who stood over the corpse.

Glorfindel's first thought was that another group of men had come to join the fight. However, when she took a closer look at the men's attire, she breathed a sigh of relief; he was one of the Dunedain, a ranger of the north.

Seeing that the other men had not quite recovered from their shock, she took the opportunity to dispose of them. Turning to the man on her right, she struck his hand, forcing him to drop his sword. Before it reached the ground, however, Glorfindel grabbed the hilt. The upward swing continued, leaving a deep slice up the man's chest. Before the man collapsed, she was turning to deal with the last attacker, but found the ranger already pulling his own sword from the man. The Dunedan looked up at her and his face split into a grin; not the grin of a bloodthirsty killer, but rather the cheery smile of a friend.

He was a handsome lad and looked no older than 30, if it hadn't been for the experience in his eyes. It was almost as hard to guess the age of a Dunedan as an elf, but the rangers did age, unlike the immortals. Looking at this man, she also realised that he looked vaguely familiar.

The sound of running feet alerted her to the door. She tensed again, ready for a fight. However, it was no man, but Cirorod. Seeing her unharmed, he relaxed. "You are unharmed Captain."

"Relatively, yes, but I believe my thanks should go to this young man."

The man's smile broadened. "Thank you, Lady Glorfindel." He paused for a moment, and his smile faded slightly. Finally, he added "You don't recognise me do you, My Lady?"

She frowned inwardly: so she had met him before. To her great frustration though, she couldn't put a name to his face. Looking at him carefully for a moment, she started to see features she recognised in the chief of the Dunedain.

"Aragorn?" she guessed. It seemed like a good guess and he couldn't really be offended by it if it were wrong.

His smile grew again. "A compliment, My Lady, but I'm afraid you are wrong. I am his son, Araglas."

She raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Araglas? Surely not? It hasn't been that long since you were last in Imladris." No wonder she hadn't recognised him: the last time they'd met, Araglas hadn't been tall enough to reach her waist.

"Nearly 50 years, My Lady."

She shook her head in amazement; 50 year already. When did 50 years sneak past her? "You certainly have grown since I saw you last, and into a fine young man from what I've seen."

A laugh came from the door. "That's if he can ever stop grinning like a damn fool." Another man stepped into the house, a man who was clearly older, from the way he carried himself to the worn face. She recognised him beyond a doubt. "Greetings, Aragorn. I assume I should be thanking you as well for our timely rescue. Have you dealt with the remaining brigands?"

"Those that didn't flee from us. One of my men is seeing to that elf that took the arrow. A nasty hit, but not fatal." As he spoke to Glorfindel, his eyes strayed to the rivulets of blood running down her arm. "Perhaps I should have him look at your arm as well."

She didn't even spare her arm a glance as she answered, "It's nothing but a scratch. It will have healed by the time I return to Imladris."

"If you are sure, Captain," and he turned to his son. "Araglas, go help the men search the area."

The young man's smile diminished in disappointment, but he gave a hasty bow to Glorfindel. "It was a pleasure to meet you again, My Lady, even if it was only for a very brief while." He spun on his heel and marched out of the building, calling to a companion.

A smile crept across Glorfindel's face as she listened. "So he _can_ say something without adding 'My Lady'."

Aragorn smiled in return. "He can be a little over-enthusiastic."

"He is a lively boy," Glorfindel commented, watching Araglas join his men. "A lot like his mother, if I remember correctly."

Aragorn nodded, watching his son talk to the others. "Yes, he is. It will be a sad day indeed when that boy stops smiling. Through he's not really a child any more, even by Elven standards."

Glorfindel turned to him. "Of course not, but by my age you start seeing most people as children."

Cirorod stopped beside her and held out her sword. Glorfindel looked down at the sword she currently held and wrinkled her nose in disgust. It was a heavy thing, and clumsy as well, nothing like the beautiful, elegant swords of the elves. She threw the weapon to one side and took back her own blade. Sheathing it, she turned back to the Dunedain chief and continued, "It really has been too long since you last visited us in Imladris. I am sure that Elrond would be glad to have you grace us with your company again."

Aragorn's face darkened and he frowned at the bodies scattered on the ground. "That may happen ere long. I have news for both you and Lord Elrond."

Cirorod gave the man a curious glance. "I assume you are referring to this attack on us and the village."

Aragorn nodded. "I assume you would like some answers."

Cirorod gave him a humourless smile. "Yes, I like to know why people want to kill me. It really can be quite distracting."

Aragorn shook his head. "I am afraid that I will probably offer more questions than answers."

Glorfindel sighed. "Just what I need to complete my day. Go on Aragorn; let us see if we can begin to unravel this small mystery."

(&)

Elrond looked out of his window. It was late, nearly midnight, and yet Glorfindel still had not returned. An uneasy feeling had settled over him since reading the letter. Though the feeling wasn't as strong as it had been around midday, it still remained.

After Glorfindel had failed to arrive for the evening meal, he had asked the stable hand to notify him as soon as she arrived. What on Middle-Earth could be keeping her so long? She should have been back hours ago.

He turned away from the window, rubbing his temples. She had probably just taken shelter from the rain that had been falling since mid-afternoon, or the village was further away than she had at first assumed. He was probably worrying too much. Erestor hadn't seemed worried when they had last spoken, so he had no reason to be.

However, this did nothing to ease his mind. He sat down in a large armchair in the dimly lit family room. Celebrian had long since retired to their bed, but he had been unable to sleep. It was not an obvious unease; it was more like a thought at the back of his mind, escaping his every attempt to pin it down. It was more like the unease he had when-

Elrond jumped as a knock sounded at the door. Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, he threw on an over-robe before answering the door.

A servant at the door bowed hastily. "Lady Glorfindel has arrived, My Lord. She has asked for you to meet her and Lord Erestor in her office."

"Thank you. You may retire for the night."

The servant bowed and left, no doubt eager to return home.

(&)

When Elrond entered Glorfindel's study he blinked in surprise. Glorfindel stood in the midst of the chaos that was her office. Her forehead was rested against Erestor's shoulder as Erestor gently rubbed her arms. However, this was not what surprised Elrond; it was the fact that Glorfindel appeared to have been dragged backwards through several large and very muddy puddles. Perhaps the most amusing part of this picture was the small puddle that had gathered round her and Erestor's feet.

Erestor looked up and smiled when he saw Elrond. "It appears that Glorfindel has had a very bad day."

"So I see."

Glorfindel's muttered voice came from Erestor's shoulder, "It gets worse."

"Oh dear," Elrond replied, trying to hide his amusement.

She turned her head to look at him and narrowed his eyes slightly. "This is not funny."

"I am sure it is not."

She straightened and shook her head sadly. "I wish it were." She sat down heavily on her desk (with a loud squelch) and ran a hand through her muddy hair. Erestor moved several papers away to prevent them from becoming sodden. Meanwhile, Glorfindel proceeded to tell them about the events in the village.

When she had finished, Elrond frowned. "Where is the injured elf?"

"In the Houses of Healing. Aragorn's man did a good job bandaging him up. All he needs now is some rest, and a change of bandages … and possibly the wound to be re-cleaned."

Elrond was about to ask what exactly had happened to her on the way back when Erestor spoke up first. "What did Aragorn say?"

Glorfindel expression darkened slightly as she spoke. "About three years ago, he and his men began running across abandoned houses. Only in poor secluded areas, hamlets mainly. There were no signs of them being forced to leave; in fact, most of the belongings had been taken. A group would arrive and then, a day later, they would leave again with the house's inhabitants and possessions. They found this strange, but not worrying as it isn't uncommon for families to leave isolated houses for large settlements. However, six months ago groups began to attack farm villages, all showing a similar pattern of signs to the village where I was attacked. This recent attack has been the closest to Imladris that they have come. These men aren't petty thugs or slavers."

"Is Aragorn sure that these are the same men?" Elrond put forward.

"Certain."

There was a short pause and then Erestor spoke, "As tragic as this is, there is no indication that this has anything to do with us. We cannot afford to become entangled in the squabbles of men."

Glorfindel took a deep breath and Elrond's feeling of unease increased. "These groups are all accompanied by elves."

Elrond's eyebrows shot up. It was uncommon enough to interact with humans beyond trade; actively recruiting and attacking men was almost unheard of nowadays. "Elves? No wonder Aragorn is positive it's the same people responsible."

She nodded. "At first, the groups were all made up of Elves, but the numbers have decreased to two or three in a party."

Elrond frowned as he thought, "The only reason I can discern for these events is to gain troop strength." Both his councillors nodded. "Does Aragorn know the purpose of this?"

Glorfindel shook her head. "Every time they track them, they come to a cold or false trail. They are very organised and obviously don't want to be found. We concluded it would be best to assume they are building a fighting force. We ruled out enslavement as most of their 'recruits' seem to join them in their raiding. As we are dealing with elves and they seem to be taking families and not just the men, we think they are willing to build up a force over time. We have no idea if they have any interest in Imladris at all."

Elrond nodded and turned to Erestor. "Your thoughts?"

"I think it is wise to assume the worst for the moment. However, without knowing their objective, there isn't much we can do expect watch them. I advise against acting too quickly on this, though. We may misunderstand their actions and put ourselves in a worse position then we actually are. More information is needed before we act."

Elrond turned back to his captain. "Glorfindel, is it possible to send a guard section to scout further afield? They should keep an eye on these attacks and gather more information."

"It will not be a problem, as long as they don't plan on fighting any more raiding parties."

Elrond gave a weary smile. "I would like to avoid that if at all possible."

"If the Dunedain are already investigating this, then perhaps it would be best to join our forces. I am certain we could cover more ground, gather more information. After all, the Dunedain know the land better then any of our guards."

Glorfindel shifted on her perch. "Aragorn said he would come and rest here with his men when Cirorod returns. We can discuss this further then. I doubt we will be invaded in the next two weeks." She slipped off of her desk. "Now, if you do not mind, I think I will go find my bed and put an end to this bad day."

The healer in Elrond frowned. "I hope you intend to have a hot bath first."

She gave a short laugh. "And risk more bad luck?"

Erestor started to guide her out of the room. "I think perhaps it would be best if I accompanied you then. I have had quite a lucky day, actually…"

Elrond watched the couple disappear through the door, their hushed voices echoing down the hallway. Glorfindel left faint muddy footprints on the floor. Elrond sighed; he never did ask her what had happened on the way back.

**End of Chapter 7**

Well, it may have taken me ages to update, but at least it was a long chapter … right? Remember, reviews make me update faster. The more I get the higher I put the story on my priority list.


	8. Lessons and talks

**A/N: **OK, updated a little longer after GoS than I planned, but still, here's the next chapter of P&P … tadah:hides as various objects fly her way:

**A note on how I do Elvin ages: Adulthood is at 50, but they age at the same rate as human. I say the maturity is still at 50 because elves live for a very long time and there fore a 20 year old won't seem mature to them.**

**Chapter 8**** - Lessons and Talks**

"_**There's moments in your life that make you, that set the course **_

_**of who you're gonna be. Sometimes they're little, subtle moments.**_

_**Sometimes they're not."**_

_**-Angel, 'Becoming: Part 1', Season 2.**_

On the third day after her return from the village, Glorfindel managed to find a spare afternoon to give Morlome a horse-riding lesson. So, here she stood, in the middle of a training field whose ground was filled with sand rather than grass for riding, watching Morlome ride round in circles. Every now and then, she would call instructions for the pupil to follow. She wasn't bad actually, though a few weeks riding across Eregion had to have helped. However, she wasn't especially talented; she still had to use a saddle, a practice many elves reserved for war and long journeys.

"Now speed into a trot," she called. Morlome nodded and nudged her horse into a trot. Glorfindel tried to smother a grin as Morlome bobbed up and down comically on her horse. "Stand up, sit down. Stand up, sit down. Stand up, sit down," She called rhythmically, hoping her amusement didn't show. It was strange: no matter how many times she saw this, it never ceased to be funny.

"I'm trying," Morlome's voice replied jerkily.

Glorfindel watched her pupil, searching for the source of the trouble. "Use the horse's movements to help you. When you bounce up, use that to help you stand, remain standing for a moment, then sit. Then repeat."

Morlome nodded, or perhaps she only seemed to nod. Slowly but surely, she began to gain control of her movements and ceased to bob around like a runaway ball.

Morlome was a lovely girl but, unfortunately, both she and her brother were more indoor than outdoor elves. She took longer to grasp some of the simpler techniques than most of her students, though Glorfindel suspected that she would have no trouble grasping more complex theories of diplomacy.

"And bring your horse to a walk," she watched her do this, "and now stop."

Glorfindel walked over to where Morlome sat her horse. Taking the reins in her hand, Glorfindel smiled up at the younger elf. "You did well, Morlome."

Morlome smiled proudly. "Thank you, you have been so patient with me."

"Patience is a virtue that tends to come with age. You can dismount now; just swing your leg over and slide down. Hold onto the saddle as you do so."

Morlome dismounted with a lack of grace that betrayed her inexperience, tugging her dress as she went. When she was firmly on the ground, she patted her horse, thanking him for the ride. Taking the reins, Glorfindel led the horse back to the stables, and Morlome strolled beside her.

"I'll find you some leggings and a tunic for our next lesson. I'm sure you'll find them easier to ride in."

Morlome looked down silently. After a moment's thought, she replied to Glorfindel, "I do not find it difficult to ride in a dress at the moment."

Glorfindel gave her a quizzical look. "I found very early that dresses are most impractical items of clothing."

"I would still … prefer to wear a dress; I find leggings very, um, uncomfortable to wear."

From her tone and hesitation, Glorfindel guessed that Morlome was unsure whether she should be 'arguing' with her about this. It seemed as if the younger elf was still slightly irritated by her future sister-in-law. Well, she couldn't dispel all her nerves over-night.

Glorfindel gave a half-shrug. "Well, I cannot force you to wear them if you do not wish it. Arwen is the same, though her reasons are no doubt very different to yours." At Morlome's puzzled expression, Glorfindel added, "She does not wish to appear boyish." Glorfindel shook her head, "Sometimes I find it very hard to understand her."

Morlome giggled. "Why does that not surprise me..."

Glorfindel arched her eyebrow and Morlome's face coloured as she tried to dig herself out of a hole. "Oh, no, I did not mean that, it is just that, well…"

Glorfindel threw back her head and laughed. Seeing this, Morlome relaxed and gave a sheepish smile. "Sorry, I did not mean to offend. I just meant that you are rather…."

"Masculine?" Glorfindel suggested. It was quite funny watching her squirm and back track.

"No!" Morlome said with a certainty that surprised Glorfindel.

"No?" She queried. Well, it seemed that this would be more interesting than she had thought.

"I just meant that you are not masculine, merely not feminine; well, not in a traditional sense. I suppose you could be seen as being feminine in a different sense…."Glorfindel smiled, not so much from her comment, but rather at another difference she had noticed between the dark-haired elf and her brother. When Erestor said something, not only did he rarely take it back, but he also tended to be straightforward and unapologetic if he explained himself. Perhaps because Erestor always thought through everything he said before even uttering a syllable. Morlome, however, just seemed to talk and then babble to correct her mistake. It may not be as dignified as Erestor, but it certainly was more enjoyable. "It's just easy to overlook that you are female. I am not completely sure why or how. It's hard to put my finger on it, but you really are quite different from the other female soldiers." Morlome seemed to finish her babbling and looked at the warrior beside her, unsure what to say or do.

Glorfindel waved her hand dismissively. "I've probably just had a very different upbringing."

"Really? How so?" Morlome failed to make her voice light and causal as her curiosity shone through. Glorfindel was tempted to brush the question off, to tease Morlome if nothing else. She wasn't sure if she wanted to talk about her upbringing; memories would resurface, the bad along with the good. However, this would be a good opportunity to become closer to her future sister-in-law, to begin to scatter Morlome's uneasiness bout her. After all; nothing ventured, nothing gained.

"I grew up in Gondolin, as I am sure you know. I was born into the House of Golden Flowers, the only child of my parents and, at the time, of the whole House. The closest child to my age in the Houses was twenty-five years my elder. So, for friends among my peers I had to look outside the Houses. Those children would gather every afternoon around the fields and courtyards where the soldiers trained and sparred. The children would watch and play-fight; as long as they stayed out of the way, the soldiers tolerant. As you can imagine, most of these children were boys, albeit not all of them; Gondolin had far more female soldiers than Imladris does, or Mirkwood I believe." Glorfindel added thoughtfully. "Gondolin encouraged all to join their forces, regardless of class or gender. Turgon wanted his city strong, he knew the city could not stay hidden away forever, and he wanted to be prepared for when the dark forces attacked. Yet, in the end, it was still not enough." Glorfindel added the last part more quietly, as if to herself.

"My father was an important and much respected Captain, so I was often humoured by the soldiers, especially my father, who loved having his little girl coming down to see him so regularly. I soon became a favourite amongst them and they would invite me to sit with them or teach me simple elements of their practice. This made me very popular with the other children, especially as they realised that if they were with me, these invitations were often extended to them as well."

A melancholy smile spread across Glorfindel's face. "I loved watching my father, I admired him and saw him through the same eyes most young children reserve for their parents; only perfection filtered through. I soon found the life a soldier far more interesting and appealing than the lessons and tasks with which my mother presented me … much to the dismay of my mother, I am sure.

"My mother," Glorfindel's smile faded as she spoke these words, "was a beautiful elf, graceful and elegant. She died when I was only eight."

"I am sorry," Morlome muttered.

"It was a very long time ago and I was very young. She fell from her horse while riding through the mountains: I am not sure of the exact details, but I know she was dead by the time they found her. My father took passage West soon after, made weak by the grief. It was quite a shocking way for a child to realise that their father is not as perfect as they had believed." She was thoughtful for a moment. "I passed into the guardianship of my father's closest friend; Ecthelion."

A grin spread over the older elf's face. "He had no idea how to raise a young girl; he did not even have a wife to help him, though he did his best. He gave me a tutor to continue my studies but as I showed no inclination to more feminine studies and activities, he soon allowed those studies to lapse. Eventually, he simply gave up trying and instead raised a boy, to a certain extent anyway. We became very close and we continued to be very close friends till his death." Memories drifted back, unpleasant ones on which she did not wish to dwell. Pushing these aside, she continued with her story.

"Unfortunately, though his practices soon rubbed off on others, it did not exclude me from all of that was expected of me. From the age of twenty, I was expected to attend court and, until I came of age, custom dictated that I visit with the other ladies, after which I could follow my desire to become a soldier and attend with Ecthelion and others. It was a task I found tedious beyond belief. At first I was quite content to be as I was but, after many weeks of being a stranger within the group, I found myself trying to fit in with them. It's rarely easy to be different, even more so when you are young. They were far ahead of me in all aspects of _their_ life, more graceful and far more skilled with a needle and thread than I, and I found many of them dull and vapid. Those who were not had no inclination to talk to me. I believed for a time that if I practiced enough I would fit in. I spent less time at the training field and more time in court or practicing feminine pastimes, however dull they seemed. Then whenever Ecthelion was around I would find myself again. I was so torn between the two lives. Part of me wanted to be like the other ladies; I believed that it could fulfil some gap in my life."

"What changed?" Morlome queried, speaking up again.

"Shortly before my fiftieth birthday, Ecthelion and I rode together…."

£-£-£-£-£

_**Gondolin- Second Age 103**__** (one week before Glorfindel's fiftieth birthday)**_

Glorfindel grinned wildly as her horse galloped closely behind Ecthelion's. Her golden hair billowed behind her as she cut through the wind. She felt happy, free. She had almost forgotten how good this felt; the court ladies always seemed to make her forget. Just one more week, one more week and she would leave the ladies of court and join the ranks of the soldiers. However, she could not deny that being a lady of the court had satisfied her in ways being a soldier could not. As if she were playing the part of the respected lady, she could pretend, be something that a part of her wanted to be. She shook her head, thinking, 'Do not worry about that; it does not matter. I am here with Ecthelion, to be away from all of that, to be free.'

In front of her, Ecthelion slowed his horse to a walk, guiding it to the edge of a low ridge that overlooked the land surrounding Gondolin. He reached the edge and reined in his horse, patting its side as she stopped beside him.

He turned to her, grinning. "Enjoying your last few days of freedom? Soon you will be an adult."

"And finally free of your care," she teased.

"And into another man's," he swiftly retorted. His grin widened as he leaned over to her. "So has my little Glorfindel found an elf worthy of her?" He laughed as colour flooded into her face. "My, such a shade of red suits you but, pray tell; is it because you have or have not found an elf?"

Glorfindel remained silent, her face threatening to actually catch flame, holding her head high. After Ecthelion failed to press the matter, she turned back to him, wondering why the elf had passed by the chance to tease her further.

The dark haired captain was staring down below, a smile tugging at his lips. She followed his gaze to where a small lake – or, more accurately, a large pond –lay. Along the banks strolled – nay, glided –an elf lady accompanied by her handmaids.

"Is she not beautiful?" Ecthelion muttered.

Glorfindel could not disagree. The she-elf had flawless white skin, accentuating large sparkling eyes of deep blue. Dark blonde hair which seemed to be made of silk framed her face, pinned into an elegant style that tumbled down her back. A handmaid said something and her lady let out a laugh; a beautiful, musical sound, so unlike anything that Glorfindel had ever made. Ecthelion sighed. This elf seemed to shine amongst her surroundings. She seemed to be the embodiment of everything an elven lady should be, the embodiment of everything that Glorfindel was not.

This fundamental thought seemed to hit Glorfindel, like a harsh slap round the face. She would never be the beautiful, elegant lady of the court that every man desired and every woman admired, and especially not while she was surrounded by the other elf ladies. Her heart sank, and she felt the prickling of jealousy. The young elf had no doubt that this delicate elf would present no obstacle in combat with her, but she did have something that Glorfindel could never touch, and that something was what part of her yearned for more then anything else.

"Are you well?" Ecthelion's voice jerked her from her musings. She could see the concern on his face from the corner of her eye.

"Yes," she mumbled.

"Then what plagues your mind?"

Glorfindel didn't take her eyes from the scene below. Ecthelion would not let this matter lie until he had an answer, but she felt silly for saying it, for thinking it. "That will never be me."

She sensed Ecthelion's confusion as he looked between the two ladies. Gradually comprehension seemed to dawn on him. "Does it matter?" he asked gently.

She shook her head. No, not really, but then, that wasn't really the point. She knew the life of a court lady would drive her insane with boredom, yet it would be nice, feel good, to be like the lady that Ecthelion so admired. Ecthelion couldn't understand that.

Sensing that her mood would not improve, Ecthelion laid a hand on her shoulder. "Come, let us return to the city."

When Glorfindel remained where she was, staring down at the lady, the elder elf steered his horse closer to her, all playful teasing gone from his approach. "Glorfindel, listen well. Becoming a soldier does not mean giving up becoming a she-elf. You are a talented swords-elf and a fine woman. Never forget that you are both."

Glorfindel looked at her guardian and felt a wave of gratitude. He hadn't completely dispelled her regret, but she felt better. There was only one path for her to take that would make her truly happy: Ecthelion was right, she was sure he was. However, before she could utter a word of thanks her mentor had spun his horse around, calling over his shoulder, "Now let us be off. The day moves onwards and we must see what other mischief we can stir up! After all, you only have one week of your childhood left."

**End of Chapter 8**

Well, I'm sorry if this chapter wasn't so good. To be honest, it's probably because I didn't enjoy writing it so much. Well, I think we get back to fun stuff in the next chapter. Oh, and by the way, Glorfindel's tip on horse riding; I don't know if it's good horse-riding practice, but it's just what I do. So I am sorry if it is wrong.


	9. Humans

A/N: It hasn't been too long… really… maybe… :wince:….

P&P 9

"So the final test for the novices is to track you across the forest surrounding Imladris."

"Yes," replied Glorfindel.

"This continues over the two days, during which they should be tested on most of the areas that they have been trained in," Morlome continued.

"Those two days are from dawn today and tomorrow at dusk?"

"Yes."

"During this time they will be observed, unseen, by you and three of your captains."

"Yes."

"So why are you here, in Erestor's room, eating lunch with us?"

"Why run around outside when I could be better acquainting myself with my future in-laws?"

"But how will they track you?"

"She lays the trail down the night before and then comes back," Erestor supplied, disapproval colouring his voice.

Glorfindel returned his smile. "I usually use it to tack the novices tracking me, it can be surprisingly entertaining, but I always make it back for lunch and dinner." Seeing Erestor's not so convinced look she moved the conversation on, "Besides, Elrond wishes for me to greet a party of humans before they reach the home."

"Humans?" Morlome asked, her eyes lighting up with curiosity.

Erestor raised an eyebrow. "Why are you so surprised? You know humans often come to Imladris."

"And you know that I haven't met many humans," she retorted before turning to Glorfindel with a brief explanation, "We rarely see anything but Elves in the Grey havens."

"Do you usually go to meet guests before they reach the home?" Gilnaur asked with a suspicious look in his eye.

Glorfindel had been hoping that they wouldn't pick up on this. After her little adventure in the village, she had warned her captains to keep a double look-out for possible dangers. While she doubted that this lord was any danger, or in any danger himself either, she would rather meet him sooner than later. However, she saw no need to worry their two guests.

"Variety is the spice of life. Speaking of which, I really should leave. A messenger has informed me of their approach." Placing her fork down, she dismissed herself to meet their new guest.

(&)

'How hard can it be to track a single elf?' That phrase seemed to come back and mock her. Maegdin, daughter of Sergeant Malaglar, sat in a tree, waiting for the missing novice to join the party. They had come across a split in the trail and, knowing one direction was false, they had sent a novice down each path to see which was real. One had returned, but they were still waiting for the other.

"What is taking him so long?" one elf questioned.

"We should send someone to find him," Maegdin commented.

"Why do we not all go? We know that is the right path now."

"But if he is not there, or we miss him and he comes back then a member of our team will be lost," Maegdin stated, her tone making it clear that she thought this was obvious. Really, Elegaer did get on her nerves.

"Then we will-" he never finished his sentence as the elf in question suddenly landed beside her. "Where have you been, Angadal?" Elegaer hissed.

Maegdin was about to come to the other's defence when Angadal himself spoke up. "There are humans approaching."

The party seemed rather less than impressed. "So?" Elegaer said, "It will just be some Dunedain."

"These aren't Dunedain, nor are they just any humans. I think there is a lord and lady among them."

Now the novices seemed interested. "Where?" The other member of their group asked.

"About a long bowshot away and approaching, though they seem harmless enough."

"Of course, otherwise the border patrol would not have let them through," Elegaer sneered.

"Hush, they draw near," Maegdin hushed. So, in silence, they waited for the humans to approach.

The humans rode on horses which, though not of the calibre of Elven horses, were still well breed. Unlike the rangers, these humans were richly dressed or wearing armour. It was obvious who the nobleman and woman were. Judging from the ages they were father and daughter. The daughter was the most enigmatic member of the party. While she was no expert on human ages, Maegdin guessed that the human girl couldn't be older than 16. Her hair was cut short and she wore men's clothing. From her saddle hung a sword that looked far too heavy for a young girl. All this tied together to curious effect, and the tense mood of the party as a whole added to this impression.

Suddenly an elf appeared beside the novices. He smiled at them. "You're the novices." It wasn't really a question. "Do not worry about the humans, they are being watched. Continue with your test." Indeed, Maegdin could see tell-tale signs of an Elven party hidden in the undergrowth.

"They look very strange," Angadal perked up, "Especially the girl. Not even Glorfindel wears men's clothing."

Maegdin grinned, "Maybe she thinks she is a boy." Her jibe caused the elves in hearing range to chuckle. The noise attracted the attention of the group below, causing the strange girl to glare up at the trees.

"Elves," supplied the richly dressed man. "They will watch us as we travel through the woods. They will appear when they are ready." However, the girl's frown only lightened slightly.

Angadal leaned towards Maegdin and whispered, "She is a grumpy youth."

Maegdin nodded, unable to disagree.

"You should move on," the elf soldier said, "or you will have no chance of catching Glorfindel." He then smiled, "Not that you have a chance anyway." Then he disappeared back into the vegetation, leaving the youths to move on.

(&)

Glorfindel sat upon her horse, watching the human party approach. With a soft word, her horse moved forward to meet them, splashing across the shallow stream.

"Greetings Lord Helmar, Lady Bellen. I am Lady Glorfindel, Captain of the Imladris guard."

Lord Helmar bowed his head. He was a fairly elderly man, by human standards. His wife had passed away giving birth to his son, who hadn't survived the week, leaving him with but a single daughter. "It is an honour to have you meet us here."

She manoeuvred her horse to walk beside the lord's. "I hope your journey was pleasant."

"Pleasant enough, save for one group of bandits, whom we escaped with little difficulty."

"I am glad to hear that," she replied. "Where did you encounter these bandits? We are expecting a group of Dunedain soon, I'm sure they can deal with the problem," and see if it is related to the village, she added mentally. It might just be a coincidence, she hoped it was, but it was better to step on the cautious side in such matters.

"West of here, about two days' journey, in the mountains. They were a band of twenty or so."

"They would not still be there had we dealt with them instead of running away. It was only-"

"I suggest," Glorfindel easily cut through, not looking at the girl, "that your daughter should refrain from making such ignorant comments. It may reflect badly on yourself.

"Ah, Imladris," she added, turning back to the road as the buildings came into view, though she did catch the soft "I try," that came from under the lord's breath. Well, that was interesting. From the corner of her eye, she could see the young 'lady' grip the reigns tightly, her face colouring. Yes, this _was_ interesting.

End of Chapter 9

So here you are. I hope I'll get the next chapter up sooner. Well, that's my aim anyway.


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